Design and Development of Work Chairs Using Quality Function Deployment, Analytic Hierarchy Process, and Ergonomic Techniques

Abstract

Low back pain is a health issue that arises from risk factors such as an improperly sized desk and chair, as well as prolonged sitting at work. Therefore, to reduce the risk of low back pain, the Quality Function Deployment (QFD) technique has been applied to design work chairs, along with the Analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and ergonomics techniques, because the lack of application of QFD techniques alongside AHP and ergonomics is notable. The objective is to design and develop work chairs that meet the users’ needs. QFP is a structured product development methodology that focuses on listening to the customer’s voice and converting these needs into technical specifications that lead to product improvement. The AHP technique is then used to score the importance of technical requirements, and the ergonomics principle is applied, using relevant body proportions as data for designing and developing work chairs. The sample group consisted of 90 office workers. The results showed that the most important technical requirements, which are guidelines for designing and developing work chairs, include the materials selection, with a weight of 33.37%, followed by adjustable height, applying the principles of ergonomics, appropriate sizes and shapes, and having a stable and strong structure. The results of applying QFD techniques together with AHP and ergonomics resulted in users being more satisfied with the work chairs. Before the improvement, the satisfaction score was 2.96 points, and after the improvement, the satisfaction score increased to 4.04 points. The findings demonstrated that using ergonomic principles in the design and development of tools and equipment resulted in instruments that are well-suited to the proportions of the human body.